Robin Ely is Diane Doerge Wilson Professor of Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community at Harvard Business School. She conducts research on race and gender relations in organizations with a focus on organizational change, group dynamics, learning, conflict, power, and identity. Her recent work includes a study of men and masculinity on offshore oil platforms, research on the impact of racial diversity on retail bank performance, and presently, a study of how professional women experience holding positions of power. In her role as Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community, Professor Ely is heading a culture change initiative at Harvard Business School to ensure that all members of the HBS community are able to thrive and reach their potential for advancing the mission of the School. Professor Ely has taught MBA courses in leadership, diversity, teams, and statistics and doctoral courses in field research methods; she has also taught in HBS’s executive education programs, including leadership programs designed specifically for women.
For the past several years, Professor Ely has maintained an active faculty affiliation at the Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons Graduate School of Management, in Boston. Prior to joining the HBS faculty, she taught at Columbia University and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Professor Ely received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Yale University and her Bachelor’s degree from Smith College. She is a member of the Academy of Management, has served on numerous editorial boards of academic journals, and is a past associate editor of Administrative Science Quarterly.
Featured Work
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Reader in Gender, Work, and Organization
This reader uses an alternative approach to gender at work to provoke new thinking about traditional management topics, such as leadership and negotiation.
- Presents students with an alternative conceptual approach to gender in the workplace.
- Connects gender with other dimensions of difference such as race and class for a deeper understanding of diversity in organizations.
- Illustrates how traditional images of competence and the ideal worker result in narrow ways of thinking about work, limiting both opportunity and organizational effectiveness.
- Provokes new ways of thinking about leadership, human resource management, negotiation, globalization and organizational change.
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Few women have succeeded in shattering the glass ceiling. Even those who have achieved phenomenal success in their respective fields have taken a few hard knocks along the way.
One needs to look no further than Hilary Clinton and her recent quest to become US president. Touted as the more experienced of two Democrat candidates, she eventually conceded defeat to her charismatic opponent.
According to Robin Ely, a Professor of Organisational Behavior at Harvard Business School, women often end up in a 'double bind'.
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Racial Diversity, Racial Asymmetries, and Team Learning Environment: Effects on Performance
This paper argues that learning in cross-race interactions is critical for work teams to realize performance benefits from racial diversity but that diversity is a liability when society's negative stereotypes about racial minorities' competence inhibit such interactions. We analyze two years of data from 496 retail bank branches to investigate racial asymmetries in the dynamics of team learning and their impact on the link between diversity and bottom-line performance. As expected, minorities' negative assessments of their team's learning environment precipitate a negative relationship between diversity and performance, irrespective of white teammates' assessments; only when both groups view the team's learning environment as supportive-implying that the team has successfully countered the negative effects of societal stereotypes on cross-race learning-is the relationship positive. We conclude that acknowledging the impact of societal asymmetries between racial groups, especially in regard to learning, can reorient research about the link between identity-group-based diversity and performance.
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Taking Gender Into Account
Theory and Design for Women's Leadership Development Programs
We conceptualize leadership development as identity work and show how subtle forms of gender bias in the culture and in organizations interfere with the identity work of women leaders. Based on this insight, we revisit traditional approaches to standard leadership topics, such as negotiations and leading change, as well as currently popular developmental tools, such as 360-degree feedback and networking; reinterpret them through the lens of women's experiences in organizations; and revise them in order to meet the particular challenges women face when transitioning into senior leadership. By framing leadership development as identity work, we reveal the gender dynamics involved in becoming a leader, offer a theoretical rationale for teaching leadership in women-only groups, and suggest design and delivery principles to increase the likelihood that women's leadership programs will help women advance into more senior leadership roles.
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An Organizational Approach to Undoing Gender
The Unlikely Case of Offshore Oil Platforms
This case study of two offshore oil platforms illustrates how an organizational initiative designed to enhance safety and effectiveness created a culture that unintentionally released men from societal imperatives for "manly" behavior, prompting them to let go of masculine-image concerns and to behave instead in counter-stereotypical ways. Rather than proving how tough, proficient, and cool-headed they were, as was typical of men in other dangerous workplaces, platform workers readily acknowledged their physical limitations, publicly admitted their mistakes, and openly attended to their own and others' feelings. More importantly, platform workers did not replace a conventional image of masculinity with an unconventional one and then set out to prove the new image-revealing mistakes strategically, for example, or competing in displays of sensitivity. Instead, the goal of proving one's masculine credentials, conventional or otherwise, appeared to no longer hold sway in men's workplace interactions. Building on West and Zimmerman's (1987) now classic articulation of gender as "the product of social doings," we describe this organizationally induced behavior as "undoing" gender. We use this case, together with secondary case data drawn from 10 published field studies of men doing dangerous work, to induce a model of how organizational cultures equip men to "do" and "undo" gender at work.
Publications
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Article
| Organization Studies
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Racial Diversity, Racial Asymmetries, and Team Learning Environment: Effects on Performance
Robin J. Ely, Irene Padavic and David A. Thomas
This paper argues that learning in cross-race interactions is critical for work teams to realize performance benefits from racial diversity but that diversity is a liability when society's negative stereotypes about racial minorities' competence inhibit such interactions. We analyze two years of data from 496 retail bank branches to investigate racial asymmetries in the dynamics of team learning and their impact on the link between diversity and bottom-line performance. As expected, minorities' negative assessments of their team's learning environment precipitate a negative relationship between diversity and performance, irrespective of white teammates' assessments; only when both groups view the team's learning environment as supportive-implying that the team has successfully countered the negative effects of societal stereotypes on cross-race learning-is the relationship positive. We conclude that acknowledging the impact of societal asymmetries between racial groups, especially in regard to learning, can reorient research about the link between identity-group-based diversity and performance.
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Groups and Teams;
Learning;
Performance;
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Article
| Academy of Management Learning & Education
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Taking Gender into Account: Theory and Design for Women's Leadership Development Programs
Robin J. Ely, Herminia Ibarra and Deborah Kolb
We conceptualize leadership development as identity work and show how subtle forms of gender bias in the culture and in organizations interfere with the identity work of women leaders. Based on this insight, we revisit traditional approaches to standard leadership topics, such as negotiations and leading change, as well as currently popular developmental tools, such as 360-degree feedback and networking; reinterpret them through the lens of women's experiences in organizations; and revise them in order to meet the particular challenges women face when transitioning into senior leadership. By framing leadership development as identity work, we reveal the gender dynamics involved in becoming a leader, offer a theoretical rationale for teaching leadership in women-only groups, and suggest design and delivery principles to increase the likelihood that women's leadership programs will help women advance into more senior leadership roles.
Keywords: Organizational Culture;
Leadership Development;
Identity;
Gender Characteristics;
Prejudice and Bias;
Programs;
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Article
| Harvard Business Review
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Stop Holding Yourself Back
Anne Morriss, Robin J. Ely and Frances X. Frei
After working with hundreds of leaders in a wide variety of organizations and in countries all over the globe, the authors found one very clear pattern: when it comes to meeting their leadership potential, many people unintentionally get in their own way. Five barriers in particular tend to keep promising managers from becoming exceptional leaders: people overemphasize personal goals, protect their public image, turn their competitors into two-dimensional enemies, go it alone instead of soliciting support and advice, and wait for permission to lead. Troy, a customer service manager, endangered his job and his company's reputation by focusing on protecting his position, not helping his team; when a trusted friend advised him to change his behavior, the results were striking. Anita's insistence on sticking to the tough persona she'd created for herself caused her to ignore the more intuitive part of the leadership equation, with disastrous results—until she let go of the need to appear invulnerable and reached out to another manager. Jon, a personal trainer who had virtually no experience with either youth development programs or urban life, opened a highly successful gym for inner-city kids at risk; he refused to be daunted by his lack of expertise and decided to simply "go for it." As these and other examples from the authors' research demonstrate, being a leader means making an active decision to lead. Only then will the workforce-and society-benefit from the enormous amount of talent currently sitting on the bench.
Keywords: Transformation;
Decision Choices and Conditions;
Leadership;
Personal Development and Career;
Personal Characteristics;
Citation: Morriss, Anne, Robin J. Ely, and Frances X. Frei. " Stop Holding Yourself Back." Harvard Business Review 89, nos. 1-2 (January–February 2011).
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Article
| Research in Organizational Behavior
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An Organizational Approach to Undoing Gender: The Unlikely Case of Offshore Oil Platforms
Robin J. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson
This case study of two offshore oil platforms illustrates how an organizational initiative designed to enhance safety and effectiveness created a culture that unintentionally released men from societal imperatives for "manly" behavior, prompting them to let go of masculine-image concerns and to behave instead in counter-stereotypical ways. Rather than proving how tough, proficient, and cool-headed they were, as was typical of men in other dangerous workplaces, platform workers readily acknowledged their physical limitations, publicly admitted their mistakes, and openly attended to their own and others' feelings. More importantly, platform workers did not replace a conventional image of masculinity with an unconventional one and then set out to prove the new image-revealing mistakes strategically, for example, or competing in displays of sensitivity. Instead, the goal of proving one's masculine credentials, conventional or otherwise, appeared to no longer hold sway in men's workplace interactions. Building on West and Zimmerman's (1987) now classic articulation of gender as "the product of social doings," we describe this organizationally induced behavior as "undoing" gender. We use this case, together with secondary case data drawn from 10 published field studies of men doing dangerous work, to induce a model of how organizational cultures equip men to "do" and "undo" gender at work.
Keywords: Organizational Culture;
Gender Characteristics;
Safety;
Behavior;
Performance Effectiveness;
Emotions;
Goals and Objectives;
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Article
| Harvard Business Review
|
Unmasking Manly Men
Robin J. Ely and Debra Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and Debra Meyerson. " Unmasking Manly Men." HBS Centennial Issue. Harvard Business Review 86, nos. 7/8 (July–August 2008): 20.
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Article
| Academy of Management Review
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A Feminist Analysis of Organizational Research on Sex Differences
Robin Ely and Irene Padavic
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Theory;
Organizations;
Research;
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Article
| Harvard Business Review
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Rethinking Political Correctness
Robin J. Ely, Debra E. Meyerson and Martin N. Davidson
Keywords: Attitudes;
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Article
| Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings
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Feminist Analysis of Micro Research on Gender in Organizations: Suggestions for Advancing the Field
R. Ely and Irene Padavic
Keywords: Theory;
Research;
Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
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Article
| Journal of Organizational Behavior
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A Field Study of Group Diversity, Participation in Diversity Education Programs and Performance
R. Ely
Keywords: Groups and Teams;
Diversity Characteristics;
Education;
Programs;
Performance;
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Article
| HBS Working Knowledge
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Women Leaders and Organizational Change
R. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Leadership;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
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Article
| Human Resource Management
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The Effects of Diversity on Business Performance: Report of the Diversity Research Network
T. Kochan, K. Bezrukova, R. Ely, S. Jackson, A. Joshi, K Jehn, J. Leonard, D. Levine and D. Thomas
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Performance;
Networks;
Research;
Citation: Kochan, T., K. Bezrukova, R. Ely, S. Jackson, A. Joshi, K Jehn, J. Leonard, D. Levine, and D. Thomas. " The Effects of Diversity on Business Performance: Report of the Diversity Research Network." Human Resource Management 42, no. 1 (spring 2003): 3–21.
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Article
| Administrative Science Quarterly
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Cultural Diversity at Work: The Moderating Effects of Work Group Perspectives on Diversity
R. J. Ely and D. A. Thomas
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Jobs and Positions;
Groups and Teams;
Perspective;
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Article
| Organization
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Advancing Gender Equity in Organizations: The Challenge and Importance of Maintaining a Gender Narrative
R. J. Ely and D. E. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Problems and Challenges;
Communication;
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Article
| Research in Organizational Behavior
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Theories of Gender: A New Approach to Organizational Analysis and Change
R. J. Ely and D. E. Meyerson
Keywords: Theory;
Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Change;
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Article
| Harvard Business Review
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Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity
D. A. Thomas and Robin Ely
Keywords: Management;
Diversity Characteristics;
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Article
| Academy of Management Journal
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The Power in Demography: Women's Social Constructions of Gender Identity at Work
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Demographics;
Gender Characteristics;
Labor;
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Article
| Administrative Science Quarterly
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The Effects of Organizational Demographics and Social Identity on Relationships among Professional Women
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Organizations;
Demographics;
Identity;
Relationships;
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Article
| Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
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A Battle of Wills: Self-verification versus Behavioral Confirmation
W. B. Swann and R. J. Ely
Keywords: Behavior;
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Chapter
| Research Alive: Exploring Generative Moments in Doing Qualitative Research
| 2011
Seeing and Being Seen Across Differences in Race and Gender
R. Ely
Keywords: Perception;
Race Characteristics;
Gender Characteristics;
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Chapter
| Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice
| 2010
Women and Leadership: Defining the Challenges
Robin J. Ely and Deborah L. Rhode
We use the experience of Carly Fiorina as an introduction to the continued challenges faced by women in top leadership roles. Although Fiorina, on becoming CEO of Hewlett Packard in 1999, asserted that "there is not a glass ceiling," her memoir eight years later acknowledged many encounters with sexist comments and attitudes. We suggest that all female leaders must deal with ambivalent reactions rooted in gender stereotypes. Generally, the assertive, dominant behavior typical among leaders tends to be viewed as atypical and unattractive in women. Studies of attitudes toward women in traditionally male roles show that they effectively trade perceptions of competence for likeability-the more successful they appear, the less positively they are regarded. Such trends affect both organizational openness to female leaders and the conceptions women have about themselves as leaders.
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Leadership;
Attitudes;
Behavior;
Perception;
Prejudice and Bias;
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and Deborah L. Rhode. "Women and Leadership: Defining the Challenges." Chap. 14 in Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, edited by Nitin Nohria, and Rakesh Khurana. Harvard Business Press, 2010.
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Chapter
| Diversity at Work
| 2008
Shifting Frames in Team-Diversity Research: From Difference to Relationships
R. Ely and L. Morgan Roberts
Keywords: Groups and Teams;
Diversity Characteristics;
Research;
Citation: Ely, R., and L. Morgan Roberts. "Shifting Frames in Team-Diversity Research: From Difference to Relationships." In Diversity at Work, edited by Arthur P. Brief. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
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Chapter
| Women and Leadership: The State of Play and Strategies for Change
| 2007
Disrupting Gender, Revising Leadership
D. E. Meyerson, R. Ely and Laura Wernick
In this chapter, we present a case study of men on two off-shore oil platforms—a workplace that has traditionally rewarded men for their masculine displays of bravado and their interactions centered on proving masculinity—in which such displays and interactions were notably absent. Although the company did not set out to change the traditional gendered patterns of roles, relations, and leadership, its self-conscious focus on increasing safety and effectiveness—which compelled workers to adopt a set of work practices that supported deep and ongoing learning—had the secondary consequence of disrupting and revising the hyper-masculine codes of behavior that were normal within the oil industry. We use this case to develop theory about how the operational and cultural conditions of an organization can disrupt conventional masculine interaction patterns and identity-construction processes by decoupling images of leadership/competence from idealized images of masculinity. We conclude that an organization's commitment to a set of work practices that are rooted in the real requirements of its work, rather than in stereotypical images of masculinity, may foster more effective leadership and may open leadership roles to women and to men who do not conform to stereotypical images of masculinity.
Keywords: Interpersonal Communication;
Gender Characteristics;
Leadership;
Business Processes;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Practice;
Safety;
Energy Industry;
Citation: Meyerson, D. E., R. Ely, and Laura Wernick. "Disrupting Gender, Revising Leadership." In Women and Leadership: The State of Play and Strategies for Change, edited by D. Rhode, and B. Kellerman.Warren Bennis book. Jossey-Bass, 2007.
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Chapter
| The Difference "Difference" Makes: Women and Leadership
| 2003
Using Difference to Make a Difference
D. Meyerson and R. Ely
Keywords: Power and Influence;
Diversity Characteristics;
Citation: Meyerson, D., and R. Ely. "Using Difference to Make a Difference." In The Difference "Difference" Makes: Women and Leadership, edited by Deborah Rhode. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2003.
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Chapter
| The Blackwell Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics
| 1997
Women in Leadership
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Leadership;
Gender Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, R. J. "Women in Leadership." In The Blackwell Encyclopedic Dictionary of Business Ethics, edited by R. Edward Freeman, and Patricia H. Werhane. Blackwell Publishers, 1997.
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Chapter
| Women in Management: Current Research Issues
| 1996
The Social Construction of Relationships among Professional Women at Work
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Relationships;
Management;
Gender Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, R. J. "The Social Construction of Relationships among Professional Women at Work." In Women in Management: Current Research Issues, edited by R. Burke, and M. Davidson. London: Paul Chapman Publishing, 1996.
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Chapter
| Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace
| 1995
The Role of Dominant Identity and Experience in Organizational Work on Diversity
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Identity;
Experience and Expertise;
Working Conditions;
Diversity Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, R. J. "The Role of Dominant Identity and Experience in Organizational Work on Diversity." In Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace, edited by Susan E. Jackson, and Marian N. Ruderman, 161–186. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1995.
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Chapter
| Women's Careers: Pathways and Pitfalls
| 1989
Attitudes Toward Women and the Experience of Leadership
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Leadership;
Gender Characteristics;
Attitudes;
Experience and Expertise;
Citation: Ely, R. J. "Attitudes Toward Women and the Experience of Leadership." In Women's Careers: Pathways and Pitfalls, edited by L. Larwood, and S. Rose. New York: Praeger, 1989.
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Working Paper
| 2013
The Work-Family Narrative as a Social Defense
R. Ely and Irene Padavic
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Working Paper
| HBS Working Paper Series
| 2007
Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity
Robin J. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and Debra E. Meyerson. "Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 07–054, February 2007.
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Working Paper
| HBS Working Paper Series
| 2005
A Feminist Analysis of Micro Research on Gender in Organizations: Suggestions for Advancing the Field
Robin J. Ely and Irene Padavic
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and Irene Padavic. "A Feminist Analysis of Micro Research on Gender in Organizations: Suggestions for Advancing the Field." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 05–040, January 2005.
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Working Paper
| HBS Working Paper Series
| 2004
Team Learning and the Radical Diversity-Performance Link
Robin J. Ely and David A. Thomas
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and David A. Thomas. "Team Learning and the Radical Diversity-Performance Link." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 05–026, October 2004.
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Working Paper
| HBS Working Paper Series
| 2004
A Field Study of Group Diversity, Participation in Diversity Education Programs, and Performance
Robin J. Ely
Citation: Ely, Robin J. "A Field Study of Group Diversity, Participation in Diversity Education Programs, and Performance." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 04–049, March 2004.
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Working Paper
| HBS Working Paper Series
| 2003
Learning from Diversity: The Effects of Learning on Performance in Racially Diverse Teams
Robin J. Ely and David A. Thomas
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and David A. Thomas. "Learning from Diversity: The Effects of Learning on Performance in Racially Diverse Teams." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 04–017, October 2003.
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Working Paper
| 2000
Cultural Diversity at Work: The Moderating Effects of Work Group Perspectives on Diversity
R. J. Ely and D. A. Thomas
Citation: Ely, R. J., and D. A. Thomas. "Cultural Diversity at Work: The Moderating Effects of Work Group Perspectives on Diversity." Center for Gender in Organizations Working Paper, No. 10, January 2000.
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Working Paper
| 1999
Feminist Critiques of Research on Gender in Organizations
R. J. Ely
Citation: Ely, R. J. "Feminist Critiques of Research on Gender in Organizations." Center for Gender in Organizations Working Paper, No. 6, January 1999.
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Working Paper
| HBS Working Paper Series
| 1998
Paradigms and Pitfalls: Constructions of How Demography Affects Work
Robin J. Ely and David A. Thomas
Citation: Ely, Robin J., and David A. Thomas. "Paradigms and Pitfalls: Constructions of How Demography Affects Work." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 98–094, April 1998.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2013
Zappos.com 2009: Clothing, Customer Service, and Company Culture (MM)
Frances X. Frei and Robin J. Ely
On July 17, 2009, Zappos.com, a privately-held online retailer of shoes, clothing, and other soft-line retail categories, learned that Amazon.com, a $19 billion multinational online retailer, had won its Board of Directors' approval to offer to merge the two companies. Amazon had been courting Zappos since 2005, hoping a merger would enable Amazon to expand and strengthen its market share in soft-line retail categories. While Amazon's interest intrigued Zappos' senior executives, they had not felt the time was right—until now. Amazon's offer—10 million shares of stock (valued at $807 million), $40 million in cash, restricted stock units for Zappos' employees, and a promise that Zappos could operate as an independent subsidiary—was on the table. Zappos' financial advisor, Morgan Stanley, estimated the future equity value of an IPO to be between $650 million and $905 million; this estimate skewed the Amazon offer—at least in financial terms—toward the high end of Zappos' estimated market value. Hsieh and Lin, Zappos' CEO and COO, respectively, knew that much of Zappos' growth, and hence its value, had been due to the company's strong culture and obsessive emphasis on customer service. In 2009, they were focusing on the three C's—clothing, customer service, and company culture—the keys to the company's continued growth. Hsieh and Lin had only a few days to consider whether to recommend the merger to Zappos' board at their July 21 meeting.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2011
(Revised from original 2009 version)
Zappos.com 2009: Clothing, Customer Service, and Company Culture
Frances X. Frei, Robin J. Ely and Laura Winig
On July 17, 2009, Zappos.com, a privately held online retailer of shoes, clothing, and other soft line retail categories, learned that Amazon.com, a $19 billion multinational online retailer, had won its board of directors' approval to offer to merge the two companies. Amazon had been courting Zappos since 2005, hoping a merger would enable Amazon to expand and strengthen its market share in soft line retail categories. While Amazon's interest intrigued Zappos' senior executives, they had not felt the time was right, until now. Amazon's offer—10 million shares of stock (valued at $807 million), $40 million in cash and restricted stock units for Zappos' employees, and a promise that Zappos could operate as an independent subsidiary—was on the table. Zappos' financial advisor, Morgan Stanley, estimated the future equity value of an IPO to be between $650 million and $905 million; this estimate skewed the Amazon offer—at least in financial terms—toward the high end of Zappos' estimated market value. Hsieh and Lin, Zappos' CEO and COO respectively, knew that much of Zappos' growth, and hence its value, had been due to the company's strong culture and obsessive emphasis on customer service. In 2009, they were focusing on the three C's—clothing, customer service, and company culture—the keys to the company's continued growth. Hsieh and Lin had only a few days to consider whether to recommend the merger to Zappos' board at their July 21st meeting.
Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions;
Customer Focus and Relationships;
Decision Choices and Conditions;
Governing and Advisory Boards;
Service Delivery;
Organizational Culture;
Online Technology;
Valuation;
Apparel and Accessories Industry;
Retail Industry;
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Module Note
|
2006
Leading Culturally Diverse Teams
Robin J. Ely
Describes the Leading Culturally Diverse Teams module (eight class sessions), which teaches students the leadership perspectives and skills necessary to develop high-functioning, culturally diverse teams (teams diverse in, for example, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality). The module explores the forces within society and individuals that hinder the effective functioning of culturally diverse teams, and it examines how team leaders can foster conditions that make cultural diversity an asset rather than a liability. The material can be taught in various configurations, depending on the desired depth.
Keywords: Competency and Skills;
Diversity Characteristics;
Leadership;
Groups and Teams;
Perspective;
Culture;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Managing Diversity at Spencer Owens & Co.
Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas
Spencer Owens & Co, a disguised consulting firm, focuses on domestic and international economic development. As an extension of the firm's commitment to social justice, 20 years ago, Spencer Owens management introduced an affirmative action hiring and promotion program. Within 10 years, the firm had achieved the most diverse support and professional staff in the industry. Yet, despite management's good intentions, Spencer Owens--and, increasingly, its work--suffered from acrimonious staff relations and frequent recriminations around racial issues. The protagonist of the case tries to diagnose the problem.
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Development Economics;
Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues;
Employees;
Selection and Staffing;
Working Conditions;
Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact;
Consulting Industry;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Managing Diversity at Cityside Financial Services
Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas
Cityside Financial Services, a disguised consumer bank, serves both a largely African-American urban community and a more affluent, predominantly white clientele. To match the gender and racial makeup of its staff to that of its customers, Cityside's sales division implemented an aggressive affirmative action hiring program. The program succeeded in raising the numbers of women to 50% of all employees and of African-Americans to 53% of middle managers and 25% of executives. Cityside operated a profitable business with high customer satisfaction rates that were widely perceived as a successful model of the "business case for diversity." Therefore, the bank's leadership was mystified to discover growing resentment and demoralization among its African-American employees.
Keywords: Customer Satisfaction;
Diversity Characteristics;
Gender Characteristics;
Race Characteristics;
Banks and Banking;
Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues;
Employees;
Selection and Staffing;
Situation or Environment;
Banking Industry;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Managing a Public Image: Kevin Knight
Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas
Kevin Knight recounts an uncomfortable situation he faced as an African-American student at Harvard Business School. Concerned with maintaining an image as a calm and rational person, he is appalled when he finds himself in a heated classroom exchange in defense of an African-American case protagonist. Knight questions whether his fears about ethnic stereotypes had prevented him from learning important leadership skills. Knight reflects on his image concerns, questioning whether they have undermined his ability to lead effectively.
Keywords: Competency and Skills;
Ethnicity Characteristics;
Business Education;
Leadership;
Identity;
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Managing Diversity at Spencer Owens & Co. and Managing Diversity at Cityside Financial Services (TN)
Robin J. Ely
Teaching Note to (9-405-047) and (9-405-048).
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Managing a Public Image: Rob Thomas
Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas
Rob Thomas describes some of the challenges he has faced as a white, middle-aged man who is managing director of a mid-size consulting firm where he is committed to increasing staff gender and racial diversity. Unwilling to risk the disapproval of any constituency, Thomas was initially paralyzed by his desire to appear as a fair and infallible leader. When a capable but undistinguished female consultant comes up for partner, Thomas decides to take a stand, but his efforts to get her promoted fail. In the end, Thomas questions whether he has been an effective leader in support of a cause about which he cares deeply. Thomas reflects on his image concerns, questioning whether they have undermined his ability to exercise leadership effectively.
Keywords: Age Characteristics;
Gender Characteristics;
Race Characteristics;
Leadership;
Failure;
Identity;
Consulting Industry;
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
Managing a Public Image (TN)
Robin J. Ely
Keywords: Public Relations Industry;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
|
2006
Managing a Public Image: Cheri Mack
Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas
Cheri Mack, an African-American woman, has just arrived at Harvard Business School after working for three years at a major consulting firm where she learned to adopt the demeanor of her male colleagues in order to fit in. Some of her male classmates are critical of her masculine, aggressive style in the classroom. As she begins to plan for a new career in health care, their criticisms cause her to wonder whether having shed much of her femininity will compromise her effectiveness as a leader.
Keywords: Reputation;
Leadership Style;
Management Style;
Personal Development and Career;
Gender Characteristics;
Race Characteristics;
Massachusetts;
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Teaching Note
| HBS Case Collection
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2006
Stephen Brown at John Hancock Financial Services (TN)
Robin J. Ely
Keywords: Financial Services Industry;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2006
(Revised from original 2003 version)
Carol Fishman Cohen: Professional Career Reentry (A)
Myra M. Hart, Robin J. Ely and Susan Wojewoda
Explores the career challenges facing highly successful women who leave the full-time workforce for several years to manage family commitments. Carol Cohen is a 1985 Harvard MBA who has professional line experience in a manufacturing environment, followed by a successful transition into investment banking. Details Cohen's decision to return to a professional career after almost 11 years out of the full-time workforce. Describes her decision-making process, including discussions with her husband about shared parenting responsibilities, and provides details of her professional networking, resume development, and interview preparation. Concludes with a job offer to Cohen from Sankaty Advisors, a Bain Capital Partners company. Discussion centers on the decision to return to work, the strategic plan and specific steps, and concludes with questions about setting expectations--both at home and at work--and negotiating terms.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2006
(Revised from original 2003 version)
Carol Fishman Cohen: Professional Career Reentry (B)
Myra M. Hart, Robin J. Ely and Susan Wojewoda
Supplements the (A) case.
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2005
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Managing a Public Image: Sophie Chen
Robin J. Ely and Ingrid Vargas
Sophie Chen, an Asian-American MBA student at Harvard Business School, describes a professional situation in which she was unable to mentor a junior person effectively because she disapproved of the way her Asian-American mentee conformed to an ethnic stereotype. Feeling the need to distance herself from the stereotype, Chen concluded that there was little she could do to help her mentee. By the end of her narrative, Chen questions whether she could have been a more effective mentor. She reflects on her image concerns, questioning whether they have undermined her ability to exercise leadership effectively.
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Perception;
Relationships;
Leadership;
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Exercise
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2005
(Revised from original 2004 version)
Orientation to the Public Image Assessment Exercise
Robin J. Ely
The Public Image Assessment exercise acquaints students with the ideal images they hold of themselves, the actions they engage in to convey these images, and the benefits and costs of these behaviors to themselves and to others. Social psychologists call this process impression management. Although managing others' impressions of us is a natural part of life--and there are good, pragmatic reasons for being concerned with the images we present to others--problems arise when people are driven by concerns about others' assessments of them. When the goal of validating one's image becomes more important than others, the task, or a group's mission, it becomes difficult to learn, take risks, and experiment.
Keywords: Reputation;
Perception;
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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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2003
(Revised from original 2002 version)
Stephen Brown at John Hancock Financial Services
Robin J. Ely
Describes a major organizational transformation process at John Hancock Financial Services in which CEO Stephen Brown takes a series of measured steps to turn the old-line mutual insurance company into a competitive, performance-oriented financial services firm. At the end of the case, Brown is considering whether to take the company public. Raises question of leadership, alignment, and culture change.
Keywords: Change Management;
Leadership;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Organizational Culture;
Alignment;
Competitive Strategy;
Financial Services Industry;
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Keynote Speech
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27
Jun
2012
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29
Jun
2012
An Organizational Approach to Undoing Gender: Lessons From Men in a Macho Occupation
R. Ely
Citation: Ely, R. "An Organizational Approach to Undoing Gender: Lessons From Men in a Macho Occupation." 7th Gender, Work, and Organization: Biennial International Interdisciplinary Conference, Keele, Staffordshire, United Kingdom, June 27–29, 2012.
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Keynote Speech
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18
Jan
2011
Diversity Management Innovation: Leveraging Cultural Diversity for Better Outcomes
R. Ely
Citation: Ely, R. "Diversity Management Innovation: Leveraging Cultural Diversity for Better Outcomes." 6th National Health Service Employers Equality & Diversity & Human Rights Conference, National Health Service (Great Britain), London, England, January 18, 2011.
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Talk
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Apr
2009
An Organizational Approach to Undoing Gender
R. Ely
Citation: Ely, R. "An Organizational Approach to Undoing Gender." Northwestern University Center on the Science of Diversity, Evanston, IL, April 2009.
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Keynote Speech
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19
Jun
2008
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21
Jun
2008
Women and Leadership: Defining the Challenges
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Leadership;
Citation: Ely, R. "Women and Leadership: Defining the Challenges." INSEAD-Wharton Research Conference on Leadership, INSEAD-Wharton Center for Global Research and Education, Fontainebleau, France, June 19–21, 2008. (Invited Address.)
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Keynote Speech
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01
Jun
2008
Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R. "Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity." Yale School of Management Organizational Behavior Summer Camp, Yale University, New Haven, CT, June 01, 2008. (Invited address.)
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Keynote Speech
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24
May
2008
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25
May
2008
Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R. "Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity." Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 24–25, 2008. (Invited Address.)
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Keynote Speech
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2
May
2008
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3
May
2008
Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R. "Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men's Identity." A.K. Rice Institute Symposium , A.K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems, Chicago, IL, May 2–3, 2008. (Keynote Address.)
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Keynote Speech
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18
Oct
2007
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19
Oct
2007
Future Work on Diversity and Equal Opportunities: Experiences from the U.S.
R. Ely
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Opportunities;
United States;
Citation: Ely, R. "Future Work on Diversity and Equal Opportunities: Experiences from the U.S." Conference on Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 18–19, 2007. (Keynote Address.)
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Keynote Speech
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1
Oct
2007
Racial Diversity and Team Learning Environment: Effects on Team Performance
R. Ely
Keywords: Groups and Teams;
Diversity Characteristics;
Learning;
Performance;
Citation: Ely, R. "Racial Diversity and Team Learning Environment: Effects on Team Performance." Erasmus University Faculty Symposium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, October 1, 2007. (Invited Paper.)
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Conference Presentation
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1
Aug
2007
Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Masculine Identity
R. Ely and D. E. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R., and D. E. Meyerson. "Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Masculine Identity." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, August 01, 2007.
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Keynote Speech
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01
Nov
2006
Cross-cultural Teamwork in Organizations
R. Ely
Keywords: Groups and Teams;
Organizations;
Diversity Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, R. "Cross-cultural Teamwork in Organizations." National Work and Family Roundtable Meeting, Boston College Center for Work and Family, Boston, MA, November 01, 2006. (Keynote Address.)
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Keynote Speech
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1
Nov
2006
Beyond Political Correctness
R. Ely
Citation: Ely, R. "Beyond Political Correctness." Distinguished Scholar Talk, Distinguished Speaker Series Series, Simmons School of Management, Center for Gender in Organizations, Boston, MA, November 1, 2006. (Distinguished Speaker.)
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Keynote Speech
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01
Oct
2006
Shifting Paradigms in Diversity Research: From Difference to a Relational Framing
R. Ely
Keywords: Research;
Diversity Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, R. "Shifting Paradigms in Diversity Research: From Difference to a Relational Framing." Cultural Diversity in Europe: a Series of Conferences, European Union, Leuven, Belgium, October 01, 2006. (Keynote Address.)
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Conference Presentation
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01
Aug
2006
Unmasking Manly Men: How Organizations Can Redefine the Boundaries of Masculine Identity
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R. "Unmasking Manly Men: How Organizations Can Redefine the Boundaries of Masculine Identity." Paper presented at the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, August 01, 2006. (Invited Panelist.)
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Conference Presentation
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01
Aug
2006
Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Masculine Identity
R. Ely and D. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R., and D. Meyerson. "Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Masculine Identity." Paper presented at the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, August 01, 2006.
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Conference Presentation
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4
Aug
2005
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10
Aug
2005
Feminist Analysis of Micro Research on Gender in Organizations: Suggestions for Advancing the Field
R. Ely and Irene Padavic
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Research;
Citation: Ely, R., and Irene Padavic. "Feminist Analysis of Micro Research on Gender in Organizations: Suggestions for Advancing the Field." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI, August 04–10, 2005.
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Conference Presentation
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8
Aug
2004
Team Learning and the Racial Diversity-Performance Link
R. Ely and David A. Thomas
Keywords: Learning;
Groups and Teams;
Ethnicity Characteristics;
Performance;
Citation: Ely, R., and David A. Thomas. "Team Learning and the Racial Diversity-Performance Link." In The Academy of Management. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, August 08, 2004.
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Conference Presentation
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11
Aug
2003
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16
Aug
2003
The Future of Diversity Research: Applying Ourselves to New Challenges for the 21st Century
R. Ely
Keywords: Diversity Characteristics;
Research;
Citation: Ely, R. "The Future of Diversity Research: Applying Ourselves to New Challenges for the 21st Century." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, August 11–16, 2003.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Jan
1999
Beyond Armchair Feminism III: Moving From Gender to a Broader Diversity Lens in Organizational Diagnosis and Intervention
R. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Diversity Characteristics;
Organizational Culture;
Organizations;
Citation: Ely, R., and Debra E. Meyerson. "Beyond Armchair Feminism III: Moving From Gender to a Broader Diversity Lens in Organizational Diagnosis and Intervention." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, January 01, 1999.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Aug
1997
Beyond Armchair Feminism II: The Challenges of Holding onto Gender in Organizational Intervention
R. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Organizational Culture;
Citation: Ely, R., and Debra E. Meyerson. "Beyond Armchair Feminism II: The Challenges of Holding onto Gender in Organizational Intervention." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, August 01, 1997.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Aug
1997
Beyond Armchair Feminism: EnGendering Organizational Change
R. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizational Culture;
Organizational Change and Adaptation;
Citation: Ely, R., and Debra E. Meyerson. "Beyond Armchair Feminism: EnGendering Organizational Change." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, August 01, 1997.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Aug
1996
Beyond Armchair Feminism: EnGendering Organizational Change
R. Ely and D. Meyerson
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Organizations;
Change;
Citation: Ely, R., and D. Meyerson. "Beyond Armchair Feminism: EnGendering Organizational Change." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, August 01, 1996.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Jan
1994
Muticulturalism at Work: The Role of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in a Feminist Organization
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Ethnicity Characteristics;
Organizations;
Citation: Ely, R. "Muticulturalism at Work: The Role of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in a Feminist Organization." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, January 01, 1994.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Aug
1992
Researcher Identity As a Source of Ambivalence and Insight
R. Ely and E. Yakura
Keywords: Research;
Identity;
Citation: Ely, R., and E. Yakura. "Researcher Identity As a Source of Ambivalence and Insight." In The Self in Social Inquiry: Race, Gender and Rigor inthe Research Process. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, August 01, 1992.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Jan
1991
Gender Difference: What Difference Does it Make?
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Citation: Ely, R. J. "Gender Difference: What Difference Does it Make?" Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, January 01, 1991. (Winner of Dorothy Harlow Best Paper Award Given annually to the author of the best paper submitted to the Annual Academy of Management Meeting presented by Academy of Management.)
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Conference Presentation
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1
Jan
1991
The Role of Men in Relationships among Professional Women
R. J. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Partners and Partnerships;
Citation: Ely, R. J. "The Role of Men in Relationships among Professional Women." Paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, January 01, 1991. (Nominated for Dorothy Harlow Best Paper Award Given annually to the author of the best paper submitted to the Annual Academy of Management Meeting presented by Academy of Management.)
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Conference Presentation
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01
Jan
1991
Understanding the Social Relations of Dominance and Oppression: What It Takes to Build Alliances in Organizations
R. Ely
Keywords: Relationships;
Alliances;
Organizations;
Citation: Ely, R. "Understanding the Social Relations of Dominance and Oppression: What It Takes to Build Alliances in Organizations." Paper presented at the Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference, Bellingham, WA, January 01, 1991.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Jan
1986
Attitudes Toward Women in Groups with Male and Female Leaders
R. Ely
Keywords: Gender Characteristics;
Leadership;
Groups and Teams;
Values and Beliefs;
Attitudes;
Citation: Ely, R. "Attitudes Toward Women in Groups with Male and Female Leaders." Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, January 01, 1986.
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Conference Presentation
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1
Aug
1983
The Cognitive-Affective Cross-Fire in Negative Self-Concept Individuals
R. Ely, W. B. Swann and J. Griffin
Citation: Ely, R., W. B. Swann, and J. Griffin. "The Cognitive-Affective Cross-Fire in Negative Self-Concept Individuals." In Sources of Self-Inference Symposium. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Anaheim, CA, August 01, 1983.
Awards & Honors
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Robin J. Ely: Received the 2007 Academy of Management Mentoring Best Practices Award and the Making Connections Award from the Organizational Behavior Division of the Academy of Management.
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Robin J. Ely: Won with David A. Thomas the 2007 Administrative Science Quarterly Award for Scholarly Contribution for their paper, "Cultural Diversity at Work: The Effects of Diversity Perspectives on Work Group Processes and Outcomes" (Administrative Science Quarterly, June 2001). The award was established in 1995 to recognize authors of papers published in ASQ that have made exceptional contributions to the field of organization studies and is given annually for the most significant paper published in ASQ five years earlier.
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Robin J. Ely: Nominated for the 1990 Dorothy Harlow Best Paper Award for "The Role of Men in Relationships among Professional Women" (Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, January 1990).
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Robin J. Ely: Winner of the 1991 Dorothy Harlow Best Paper Award for "Gender Difference: What Difference Does it Make?" (Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, January 1991).
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